ANN ARBOR, MI – Ann Arbor Huron’s coaching staff and players are ready to turn the River Rats football program around.

After a 2-25 stretch the last three years, and an 11-year playoff drought, senior Jerry Jackson said his team is sick of being the last-place team in the Southeastern Conference Red Division.

“We’re looking to win, we’re tired of losing,” he said. “We’re tired of all the other teams talking about us as the worst team in the league; tired of the whole community looking at our past records and thinking we won’t be much. We’re tired of that and (we’re) looking to prove something this year.”

First-year coach Andre Parker said he played for a state champion football program in high school and understands what it takes to build a tradition of winning. His top priority in preparing for the 2014 season is improving his team's basic technique, football IQ and chemistry.

The River Rats spent the first three days of training camp at Albion College. Between two-a-days on the field, the players took part in bonding activities and spent time getting to know each other.

Senior lineman Chris Damschroder said Parker’s bonding activities have paid off already, with the team acting as one group, rather than being split by position like previous seasons.

“That’s something we didn't have the last few years; I think we have something special this year,” said senior Adam Barber. “Building that relationship, we haven’t had that. It’s just the culture we now have, it’s a lot better than we've had and it’ll lead to more success.”

Parker’s focus this summer has been to teach basics like tackling, catching and reading defenses. He said several athletes needed a boost in football knowledge after joining the team having never played the sport.

“We've always had athletes, it’s just getting them technically sound and in the right place to make plays,” Parker said. “What I’m looking at is just getting them to understand the game of football. You can scheme up a lot of stuff, but if the kids don’t know what you’re talking about, what does it matter?”

By the end of the first week of practice, Huron didn’t have a set depth chart. Parker was still accepting additions to the program and working out which players would be moving up or down the three levels.

He ruled out the likelihood of freshmen playing JV and sophomores playing varsity, allowing talented underclassmen to build the lower tiers up while gaining valuable experience.

Though Huron was behind other area teams during training camp, Parker said everything will work itself out in time.

“I’m very happy with where we’re at right now,” Parker said. “We have a long way to go, but the quote I tell my team is, ‘What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve.’ That’s what they’re starting to do.”